Series
Publication
St. Martin's Paperbacks (1998), 269 pages
Original publication date
1992
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Genres
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Description
Gold Dagger-winner and best-selling author in the United Kingdom, Ian Rankin crafts absorbing crime novels with solidly drawn characters and first-rate plotting. In Strip Jack, he portrays a shocking murder investigation that exposes the sordid side of Edinburgh politics and society. Detective John Rebus suspects a set-up when a respected Member of Parliament is caught in a police raid on a brothel-and his flamboyant wife suddenly disappears. After the woman's badly beaten body shows up, it becomes Rebus' job to find the killer. Is the MP really self-destructing as circumstances suggest? Or is a bitter enemy out to get him? Suddenly Rebus finds himself facing off with a cunning killer who holds all the cards. Narrator Samuel Gillies' well-paced performance underscores all the tension in this intriguing read.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member gypsysmom
I didn't discover Ian Rankin's Rebus books until I read The Falls, which was (I think) the 13th book out of 18. I have read all of the ones after The Falls but when Ian Rankin decided John Rebus was retiring in Exit Music I felt bereft. Thank goodness there were all those other books before The
Rebus is not the curmudgeonly outcast he became in the later books but signs are showing. He is one of a team of Edinburgh police that raid a brothel late one Friday night. One of the men found within the brothel is MP Gregor Jack, a very popular Independent MP with no previous stains on his character. Since someone has tipped off the newspapers, his discovery cannot be kept secret. Rebus and DS Brian Holmes, who lives in Jack's constituency, are somewhat disappointed in the MP but he hasn't actually committed a crime. Rebus suspects that this was a set up and has a word with Jack the next day. He discovers that Jack's wife is away and there hasn't been any communication from her. When this silence continues for a number of days, Rebus gets a bad feeling so he isn't particularly surprised when Liz Jack's body is discovered. Rebus sets out to find out where Mrs. Jack spent her last days, with whom she spent them and who killed her. His instincts prove valuable and, despite many false leads, he is able to discover the answers to all those questions.
It was an interesting read but I don't think the mystery was as compelling as some of the later books. However, it does fill in some of the back story and I am glad to have read it.
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Falls which I hadn't read. This is book #5, the earliest one I have been able to lay my hands on so far.Rebus is not the curmudgeonly outcast he became in the later books but signs are showing. He is one of a team of Edinburgh police that raid a brothel late one Friday night. One of the men found within the brothel is MP Gregor Jack, a very popular Independent MP with no previous stains on his character. Since someone has tipped off the newspapers, his discovery cannot be kept secret. Rebus and DS Brian Holmes, who lives in Jack's constituency, are somewhat disappointed in the MP but he hasn't actually committed a crime. Rebus suspects that this was a set up and has a word with Jack the next day. He discovers that Jack's wife is away and there hasn't been any communication from her. When this silence continues for a number of days, Rebus gets a bad feeling so he isn't particularly surprised when Liz Jack's body is discovered. Rebus sets out to find out where Mrs. Jack spent her last days, with whom she spent them and who killed her. His instincts prove valuable and, despite many false leads, he is able to discover the answers to all those questions.
It was an interesting read but I don't think the mystery was as compelling as some of the later books. However, it does fill in some of the back story and I am glad to have read it.
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LibraryThing member pw0327
When I chanced upon Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus series I took no chances and tucked into it with gusto. The first in the series, Knots and Crosses wasn't all that, in fact it wasn't a very stron mystery. But as I went through the series one by one, the experienced stopped being a slop and became
The storyline and plot are structures in Rankin's novels. Not that they are bad but they are merely one of many reasons to read the book. His writing is gossipy, psychological, sometimes schizophrenic but always rewarding to the reader because it encompasses so much. This story had the best flowing narrative so far. The description of the crime scene investigation part of the story is detailed, horryfying, and fascinating, even though it is just a peripheral part of the story. The discourses on books and the literary world is also fascinating but also peripheral. This series embodies all that is great with a multifaceted explorarion of crime and crime solving with hte grit and realism of a Dashiel Hammett novel.
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more os a joy. This book has been very entertaining and has rewarded my faith in Rankin.The storyline and plot are structures in Rankin's novels. Not that they are bad but they are merely one of many reasons to read the book. His writing is gossipy, psychological, sometimes schizophrenic but always rewarding to the reader because it encompasses so much. This story had the best flowing narrative so far. The description of the crime scene investigation part of the story is detailed, horryfying, and fascinating, even though it is just a peripheral part of the story. The discourses on books and the literary world is also fascinating but also peripheral. This series embodies all that is great with a multifaceted explorarion of crime and crime solving with hte grit and realism of a Dashiel Hammett novel.
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LibraryThing member edwardsgt
The Jack is Gregor Jack, MSP. Rankin cleverly weaves in the new Scottish political scene in this excellent story.
LibraryThing member Darrol
Some good stuff (the hospital for the criminally insane), but one too many twists.
LibraryThing member Romonko
That is what John Rebus finds when he is dealing with an MP who has been caught in a house of ill repute. John keeps going back to Gregor Jack trying to help him fix the damage to his career, but while this is going on Jack's wife is missing. Rebus has many bad feelings, and when her body turns
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ups, Rebus and his faithful Sergeant Holmes trail a killer. The investigation throws them up against some of the so-called "cream" of society, and John has to pussyfoot around in order not to upset feelings. These Rebus books are really good. I enjoy Rankin's eccentric and spare writing style. I also enjoy the look at Scotland that the books give. And most of all I enjoy Rebus. He is a real character! The mysteries are always quite complex. Lots of fun. Show Less
LibraryThing member Elphaba71
A Great Read, Rankin always comes up with the goods :o)
LibraryThing member alluvia
Loved this taut, character-rich, smart detective novel. In fact, reading this was so freakin' satisfying that I felt ticked about the time I've wasted recently on some new books that were marketed with a lot of vigor but left me wondering how they even got published. I was starting to think I was
I remember reading that Jean Paul Sartre read detective mysteries for pleasure. Sometimes I've thought, wow, that's sort of embarrassing, isn't it.
But not today! Ian Rankin writes circles around these ridiculous authors I've tried lately. Life's too short, man. I need to trust my gut
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just not enjoying reading any more - a sad thought. But no, just sad excuses being published and promoted. How does that happen? I thought it was so competitive to get published. Oh well. I remember reading that Jean Paul Sartre read detective mysteries for pleasure. Sometimes I've thought, wow, that's sort of embarrassing, isn't it.
But not today! Ian Rankin writes circles around these ridiculous authors I've tried lately. Life's too short, man. I need to trust my gut
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LibraryThing member stuart10er
This was my first exposure to Scottish Inspector John Rebus. I heard an interview with Ian Rankin on NPR about the retirement of Rebus and the creation of a new character. This was interesting to me so I picked up this early volume (#4) at a used book store. It was a real "where have you been my
Rebus is not the best detective, not the nicest, or even the hardest working - but he lands in a case where a popular politician has been found in a brothel and a scandal ensues. Then the politician's wife is missing, then she is dead, and Rebus must sort out the various friends and sycophants that surround them and find the motive and the killer. Very well done - I was guessing (wrong in some cases) all the way until nearly the last 10 pages. That is quite a feat.
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whole life" kind of moment. I enjoy mysteries, but there was something in the writing, something in the style, that I found particularly appealing. Rebus is not the best detective, not the nicest, or even the hardest working - but he lands in a case where a popular politician has been found in a brothel and a scandal ensues. Then the politician's wife is missing, then she is dead, and Rebus must sort out the various friends and sycophants that surround them and find the motive and the killer. Very well done - I was guessing (wrong in some cases) all the way until nearly the last 10 pages. That is quite a feat.
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LibraryThing member LARA335
Interesting mystery and police procedural. The press hound a Scottish MP when he is found in a brothel. His wife subsequently goes missing. Rebus investigates.
LibraryThing member nakmeister
There’s been a tip off. In a rather middle class area of Edinburgh there’s a brothel, and the Superintendant ‘Farmer’ Watson is outraged. A big operation is conducted to raid the place. Rebus thinks this is a shame, when they’re not harming anyone, and there are so many worse crimes that
This is, with the possible exception of The Falls, the best Rebus book I’ve read so far. Excellently written as always, Rebus is a brilliant creation that you feel you know really well. The plot twists keep you guessing all the time. More fast paced that some of his others, the plot hurtles along, but the best part about the Rebus books, particularly this one is the characterisation, and the wonderful, grimy Edinburgh setting. Highly recommended.
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go unsolved and often unseen in Edinburgh’s back streets. It’s also regrettable that caught red in the face is one of Edinburgh’s MPs, and the press is on hand to photograph it all. Rebus feels a bit sorry for MP Gregor Jack, because all the clues are pointing to someone setting him up to take a fall. Then Jack’s wife disappears, and things start getting murkier and murkier…This is, with the possible exception of The Falls, the best Rebus book I’ve read so far. Excellently written as always, Rebus is a brilliant creation that you feel you know really well. The plot twists keep you guessing all the time. More fast paced that some of his others, the plot hurtles along, but the best part about the Rebus books, particularly this one is the characterisation, and the wonderful, grimy Edinburgh setting. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member DrLed
Synopsis: An MP is caught in a brothel. Rebus thinks that he has been set up so that he will have to resign from office. Then the MP's wife goes missing and is found dead; was it her outrageous lifestyle or the same circumstances that put the MP in a brothel?
Review: Still rather grim, this book was
Review: Still rather grim, this book was
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more focused on Edinburgh than the previous few. Rankin continues to write characters with relationship issues. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cassandra2020
Strip Jack by Ian Rankin - very good
Ok, I definitely get it now. Really enjoyed this Rebus book, took me just over a day. Rebus is back in Edinburgh and drawn into the scandals building round a local MP - caught in a high class brothel, the question is: where is his wife?
No point going into the
Perfect easy reading.
Ok, I definitely get it now. Really enjoyed this Rebus book, took me just over a day. Rebus is back in Edinburgh and drawn into the scandals building round a local MP - caught in a high class brothel, the question is: where is his wife?
No point going into the
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details, crimes are committed, Rebus gets drawn in, after some red herrings and false starts, he ties most of them up.Perfect easy reading.
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LibraryThing member gmmartz
I've enjoyed Ian Rankin's Rebus series immensely. Due to the availability of his novels at the various libraries (we've moved twice in the last 4 years) we frequent, I've had to bounce around in his catalog and haven't been able to read them serially. It's interesting, in the case of Strip Jack, to
Strip Jack begins with a relatively simple raid on an Edinburgh brothel in which a locally famous politician is ensnared. Something isn't right in that the media had, we discover, been alerted to the raid and seemingly knew who they'd find. As Rebus begins to smell a rat, the politician's wife disappears and a murder investigation begins. That's the major plot- other sub-plots that may or may not be connected to the main investigation are likewise involved.
This is a fine 'whodunnit' with believable characters and a solid story line. I like Rankin's writing a lot- he's neither spare with his prose nor grandiloquent and therefore just right for this type of novel. I likewise enjoy the Edinburgh milieu a great deal. It's a somewhat gritty town but is also an academic and government center, so there's a lot going on with a wide range of character types available for the author to explore.
For any reader looking for a detective series to get into that hasn't yet read Rankin's Rebus series, I highly recommend it. Strip Jack is an earlier entry, but it's solid and Rankin does a great job in subsequent novels guiding his main character through the various stages of his career and personal life.
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return to the 'younger' Rebus and appreciate how Rankin has developed this great character over the years.Strip Jack begins with a relatively simple raid on an Edinburgh brothel in which a locally famous politician is ensnared. Something isn't right in that the media had, we discover, been alerted to the raid and seemingly knew who they'd find. As Rebus begins to smell a rat, the politician's wife disappears and a murder investigation begins. That's the major plot- other sub-plots that may or may not be connected to the main investigation are likewise involved.
This is a fine 'whodunnit' with believable characters and a solid story line. I like Rankin's writing a lot- he's neither spare with his prose nor grandiloquent and therefore just right for this type of novel. I likewise enjoy the Edinburgh milieu a great deal. It's a somewhat gritty town but is also an academic and government center, so there's a lot going on with a wide range of character types available for the author to explore.
For any reader looking for a detective series to get into that hasn't yet read Rankin's Rebus series, I highly recommend it. Strip Jack is an earlier entry, but it's solid and Rankin does a great job in subsequent novels guiding his main character through the various stages of his career and personal life.
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LibraryThing member Icewineanne
It's been years since I've read an Inspector Rebus book. Having read the first 3 books in the series, I just couldn't locate my copy of the 4th book, Strip Jack. I own far too many books (4000 ). Well, I finally found it last week. I enjoy the character of Rebus, and that the novels are not very
The good news is, that during my search for Strip Jack, I also located the next two books in the series, so I won't have to wait for years before continuing with this series!
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dark or bleak, unlike many of the newer UK/European crime novels. If you haven't tried this series yet, I highly recommend that you begin with the first book, Knots and Crosses. You won't be disappointed, the series is terrific. The good news is, that during my search for Strip Jack, I also located the next two books in the series, so I won't have to wait for years before continuing with this series!
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LibraryThing member TobinElliott
This was a strange one for me. While it was not a bad story (really, it wasn't), it just didn't seem to engage me. And the most frustrating part is that I can't put my finger on why.
I did seem to notice there was a seemingly heavier accent on the local patois, but noticing that may also be because
To me, this particular installment of Rebus went down like a meal from McDonalds. Not the greatest, but not horrible. Tasty in spots, but overall, mostly bland. And once it's done, it really doesn't leave anything behind but a faint longing that it was something better and more substantial. Then it's forgotten.
Is it just me, or is there really no progress when it comes to Rebus's personal life? Maybe that's what Rankin was going for, but four books in, it's becoming an annoyance.
I did seem to notice there was a seemingly heavier accent on the local patois, but noticing that may also be because
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I ended up reading this novel at a snail's pace. To me, this particular installment of Rebus went down like a meal from McDonalds. Not the greatest, but not horrible. Tasty in spots, but overall, mostly bland. And once it's done, it really doesn't leave anything behind but a faint longing that it was something better and more substantial. Then it's forgotten.
Is it just me, or is there really no progress when it comes to Rebus's personal life? Maybe that's what Rankin was going for, but four books in, it's becoming an annoyance.
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LibraryThing member hemlokgang
These stories are a bit pedantic, yet I really like Detective Rebus! Not much else to say.
LibraryThing member -Eva-
Rebus is back in Edinburgh and is now struggling with, not the city's grimy underbelly, but rather its grimy "overbelly" when he tries to find out what happened to an MP's missing wife. It's a solid story and the characters are, as usual, very interesting, but since we're now dealing with affluent
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people whose crimes aren't committed because of a mix of desperation and societal influences, the stakes seem to be slightly lower than in the other Rebus-books. If you see this installment of the series more as a showing of inter-personal politics than a straight crime-story, it's a new angle that adds a little extra to the already three-dimensional world of the characters. Show Less
LibraryThing member ffortsa
his was a pleasure. I'd forgotten how sharp the dialog and the literary references were in Rankin's work, or maybe I hadn't noticed before. In addition, it's a compelling mystery with surprising connections and lots of red herrings to turn around. A popular MP is set up in a brothel raid, and the
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burgeoning consequences involve his wild wife, his closest and oldest friends, among them a popular actor, a rare book merchant, a real estate developer, and others.I'm glad to return to the series; maybe it's cured my book funk. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
0312965141 / 9780312965143
Physical description
269 p.; 7 inches
Pages
269